


skin as thin as ever

by Lake (beyond_belief)



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Injury Recovery, Iron Man 1, Missing Scene, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 02:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17799500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyond_belief/pseuds/Lake
Summary: What might have happened between Rhodey finding Tony in the desert and Tony getting off the plane in America.





	skin as thin as ever

**Author's Note:**

> Operation "maybe finish some of the things lingering in your GDocs for once?" has commenced. This was actually started as homework for a Fandom5k assignment; I ended up writing in an entirely different fandom for that exchange but have wanted to finish this as a short piece ever since because I love the Tony&Rhodey dynamic (also the Tony/Rhodey dynamic, but this fic doesn't get there).

"Rhodey," Tony says, and Jim looks over, at Tony looking uncomfortable on the thin piece of plastic-covered foam that's currently passing for a mattress on this medical rack. His lips are chapped beneath the scraggly facial hair and he's sunburned in odd patches, and there's still dirt and grease smudged down his neck. "Get me a list of all your people who died in that ambush."

"What -"

"Just get it for me, okay?"

Jim looks at him a moment longer, sees the tension in Tony's jaw, that tightness to his mouth. "I'll get it."

"It's too late for me to pay for their funerals, right?"

"We took care of them, Tony," Jim murmurs. "Full honors."

The on-duty doctor comes back over then, so Jim draws back slightly and pretends not to hear words like _dehydration_ and _shrapnel_ , _scar tissue_ and _cardiologist in Germany_.

"Yeah, thanks doc," Tony mutters, and Jim sees him wince as he gets jabbed with another IV in the other arm. This nurse looks unrepentant. _Must be used to difficult patients_ , Jim thinks. 

"When can I leave?" Tony asks the doctor flat-out. Despite his clear exhaustion, Tony's gaze is sharp. Jim wouldn't want that gaze fixed on him right now.

"When that's empty," the doctor says, pointing at the IV fluid bag. "So more than an hour, but no more than five."

" _Five hours?_ " Tony yells, which, Jim could have predicted that would happen. He puts a gentle hand on Tony's shoulder and presses, just in case Tony tries to deliver the IV to this doctor instead.

The doctor doesn't flinch. "I suggest you allow Lieutenant Christopher to get you cleaned up and get that arm in a sling, and rest until the IV is finished, Mr. Stark."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Jim says, because he's used to that look that's on Tony's face. "You, stop complaining. The man's just doing his job. And you do look like shit. Maybe they've got some makeup around, someone can fix up your face." 

Christopher now standing next to Tony's rack, and he is very quietly doing his best not to laugh. "Are you a makeup artist, Christopher?" Tony deadpans. "I don't think so. Fix my arm."

"Yes, sir," Christopher says, but he's still grinning. 

Tony winks at Jim, the fight gone in an instant, then closes his eyes and relaxes back against the additional square of foam that passes for a pillow. "I hope you all understand I can't sleep like this," he mutters.

"We understand, sir." 

He's asleep in less than a minute. Christopher looks knowingly at the IV drip. "Some pain meds in there, sir," he says to Jim. "Can't imagine the pain levels he's been dealing with from the -" he nods at the glowing thing in Tony's chest, the miniature arc reactor; Jim would think that he can't believe Tony made it, except he can completely believe it. "Must have been almost unbearable. Can you imagine?"

"No, I can't. But he's tougher than he looks," Jim says. 

"Sir, I don't doubt it, sir." Christopher bandages up a few small cuts, working quickly and efficiently. Then he manipulates the sling onto Tony's wrenched arm and fastens it around his shoulder. Tony doesn't stir. He looks paler now, somehow. Jim wonders when he slept last.

When Christopher leaves, Jim pulls his tiny camp chair closer to the cot, and closes his own eyes. Just for a few minutes, now that he knows Tony's alive, that he's safe, that the skin of his arm is warm under Jim's hand. 

He must doze for close to an hour, opening his eyes to see Tony's IV with only a quarter of the fluid left, and the doctor taking Tony's pulse again. There's more color in Tony's face now, but he's still asleep. "He gonna be okay, Doc?" Jim asks quietly.

"I don't pretend to know what he's got in his chest," the doctor replies, pitching his voice to match Jim's. "But his vitals are stable. Clearly he figured out how to keep himself alive."

"He's a stubborn asshole like that."

"The transport should be here in forty-five minutes, and there's a specialist at Ramstein right now." The doctor lowers Tony's arm back down to his side. 

"Thanks, Doc," Jim murmurs. 

Tony wakes up when the medics carry him onto the plane, and his eyes are wild for a moment until he sees Jim right behind them. "You can go back to sleep in a minute," Jim assures him, as they get the stretcher secured, and Jim buckles into a jump seat next to Tony's head. 

"I feel like I've been on my back for weeks already. I don't need this stretcher."

"You're staying on the stretcher," Jim says firmly. He puts his hand on Tony's shoulder, keeps it there as the transport starts rolling, and watches Tony's face as he grimaces through takeoff. "Sorry I couldn't score you a smoother ride."

"It's a little bumpy. I could probably design you a better plane," Tony grumbles. He reaches across himself to lay his hand over Jim's. "Rhodey. Thanks for looking for me."

_As if I wouldn't_ , Jim thinks. He says, "You better not make a habit of getting lost."

Tony laughs. It's weak, but it's still a laugh. "No promises."

"Take a nap, Stark."


End file.
